By Leslie Fossey

There are 192 member nations in the United Nations General Assembly. But your body has more bones than that — 206 to be exact — that must be protected for a lifetime. Keeping your skeletal framework in tip-top condition may seem like an overwhelming task. But there is a wealth of information and many new products that make it easy to get the right amount of calcium to keep your bones strong.

Most of our bone structure is developed by our 18th birthdays, but we continue to grow bone mass until age 35. For caring moms and dads, the message here is that this is your chance to help build your kids’ bones while you have some control over their habits. The upside is that you can improve your own bone mass as well.

A new study in The Journal of the American Medical Association shows that children copy their parents’ physiological behaviors. If you get the right amount of calcium, chances are they will too.

“When a child doesn’t get the proper amount of calcium, it sets them up for a lifetime of brittle bones, leading to fractures and osteoporosis,” says Michael Russell, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon for Azalea Orthopedics. Proper nutrition and the right amount of exercise can protect parents and children alike from broken bones and other problems related to calcium deficiency.

Building strong bones is a habit. There is no better way to get calcium than from dairy products. Kids and milk are a natural fit. Milk, yogurt, and cheese are all good sources of calcium. If kids don’t like regular milk, there are some great new products on the market like low fat, low sugar chocolate syrup that can be added to milk to ratchet up the flavor. If your child frowns on a milk mustache, try calcium chews. Each piece has about 500 mg of calcium. You can purchase them in variety packs that include kid-friendly flavors such as chocolate and caramel.

Spinach is another great source of calcium. Most kids turn away at the sight of this green, leafy vegetable, but with some parental creativity, they may learn to enjoy it. Set out a bowl of spinach and make it a game. The goal: see who can eat 10 leaves of spinach while using good manners. The first to finish gets a pass on dish duty. Or try adding fresh, diced baby spinach to dips, wraps, or vegetable pizza. Also fun (and tasty!) are creative recipes such as Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups. Or try a great low fat or light dressing for dipping.

Dr. Russell says the teenage years also are an important time for bone growth; it is during the teen years that nearly one-half of the adult skeletal structure is formed. “Unfortunately, new studies show that only half of teens get enough calcium to build a proper skeleton,” he says, “and the statistics get worse for teenage girls, with only 15 percent getting the necessary amount.”